Pre-authenticated online ordering system

ABSTRACT

A computerized method and system for presenting a user interface is provided. A set of user authentication credentials are received from a first user device, the set of user authentication credentials sufficient to uniquely identify a user of the user device as being registered with a network-based publication system. A first user interface is generated, the first user interface providing a first set of available functions. A unique address associated with a second user interface corresponding to the first user interface is generated, the second user interface providing a second set of available functions, the second set of available functions being different than the first set of available functions and being a subset of the first set of available functions. The unique address is sent to the first user device in a manner that allows the user of the user device to disseminate the unique address to an unregistered user.

PRIORITY

This application is a Continuation of and claims the benefit of priorityto U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/841,366, filed on Aug. 31, 2015,which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/136,675, filed onJun. 10, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Example embodiments relate generally to the technical field of datamanagement, and in one specific example, to a system and a method forpre-authenticated online ordering.

BACKGROUND

More and more, Internet users are realizing the ease and convenience ofsearching online for a variety of needed goods and services. Theconvenience factor, identified by researches as a fundamental objectiveof online shopping, may include the overall ease of finding a product ora service and minimization of the shopping effort and time. Furthermore,online shopping allows consumers to shop in the convenience of theirhome and at times that many stores and shopping malls may be closed forbusiness.

Online shopping may benefit both individuals and society as a whole.From society's point of view, saving on resources such as human andnatural resources would be a great benefit. Online shoppers may freelybrowse online themselves rather than asking for assistance from vendors.The fact that online shopping saves shoppers from traveling to vendorplaces also helps in saving energy and conserving the environment. Inaddition, online shoppers are free from the pressure to buy from thevendors and may spend more time in making wise purchase decisions.Availability of almost unlimited varieties of products and services toonline shoppers is another benefit of online shopping. Online shoppersmay also benefit from the online auctions provided by online commercesystems such as EBAY INC. of San Jose, Calif.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation inthe figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a high-level diagram depicting, in an example embodiment,functionality of a system for pre-authenticated online ordering;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a systemfor pre-authenticated online ordering;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating, in an example embodiment,components of the client system shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a high-level flow diagram illustrating an example method forpre-authenticated online ordering using the server of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a high-level flow diagram illustrating an example method forpre-authenticated online ordering using the client system shown in FIG.2;

FIG. 6 is high-level block diagram illustrating an example embodiment ofa network-based publication system having a client-server architectureand enabled for pre-authenticated online ordering;

FIG. 7 is an example set of publication and pre-authentication orderingapplications used by the network-based publication system of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a diagrammatic representation of amachine in the example form of a computer system;

FIG. 9 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface for selecting an item from a list of items in apre-authenticated online ordering system;

FIG. 10 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface for displaying an item number associated with the selecteditem of the user interface of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface for receiving a registered user's authentication credentials;and

FIG. 12 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface for receiving a user response that includes instructions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example methods and systems for pre-authenticated online ordering willbe described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of example embodiments. However, it will be evident to oneskilled in the art that the present technology may be practiced withoutthese specific details.

Some example embodiments described herein may include receiving a set ofuser authentication credentials (e.g., username and password orbio-credentials, etc.) sufficient to uniquely identify a registered user(e.g., a user registered with an online commerce system, such as EBAYINC., of San Jose, Calif.; an online business; or a publication system,such as KIJIJI.COM, a subsidiary of EBAY INC., etc.). A selection of anitem (e.g., listing of a product or a service) from a number of itemsmay be received from the registered user. A unique address (e.g., aUnique Resource Locator (URL) or widget) may be provided to theregistered user. This unique address may be associated with a simplifieduser interface that allows users of the unique address to performlimited sets of operations associated with the item.

Example embodiments may include receiving a response from a user. Theuser may be the registered user or a third person who has received theURL from the registered user. The response may be retrieved from theuser interface and may include an instruction specifying the limitedsets of operations. For example, the instruction may include a biddingprice, a max price, a quantity, and a date and time for bidding on theitem selected from the listings of an online commerce system (e.g.,sniping the item by having the server place a bid for the item a fewseconds before the auction end time for the item). The instruction mayalso include a purchase order for purchasing one or more products orservices from an entity (e.g., a business entity, such as an onlinebusiness including an online store, an online mall, etc.) at apredetermined price (e.g., a price specified in a catalogue, brochure,webpage, flyer, or quoted using any other method).

The instruction received from the user may, in an example embodiment, beexecuted by the online auction system or the online business. Theexecution of the instruction may be based on the previous userauthentication of the registered user. In other words, the user may nothave to be authenticated at every incidence of using the URL. In caseswhere the instruction includes a bidding price for the item, the onlineauction system may place the bid on behalf of the user. Instructionsincluding a purchase order may cause the online business to perfect thepurchase order and charge the user for the predetermined price.

FIG. 1 is a high-level diagram depicting, in an example embodiment,functionality of a system for pre-authenticated online ordering. Aserver 130 of an online business may receive authentication credentialssufficient to identify a registered user. The online business mayinclude an online commerce system, an online store, an online mall, etc.The authentication credentials may include a user name and passwordentered by the registered user into a user interface 140 using a clientsystem 120. The client system 120 may be linked to the server 130 via anetwork 150 (e.g., the Internet or a Local Area Network (LAN), etc.). Inalternative example embodiments, the authentication credentials mayinclude bio-credentials or any other type of authentication credentialsthat may be incorporated into an online authentication system.

The server 130 may present, via a user interface 160, a number of itemslisted with the commerce system. The registered user may select an itemfrom the number of items presented. The item may be a product or aservice provided by the online business. In response to receiving theselection, the server 130 may provide the registered user with a uniqueaddress 170 (e.g., a URL or a widget) associated with a simplified userinterface that allows the registered user to perform a limited number ofoperations with the item. In an example embodiment, the registered usermay release the unique address to a third person for use by the thirdperson. The operations may include bidding on the item or purchasing theitem. In an example embodiment, the simple user interface may allow theuser 110 (e.g., the registered user or the third person) to select oneor more options from a list of options provided by the simplified userinterface. The options, for example, may include, but are not limitedto, a bid price, a bid time, a max price, or a purchase price for theitem.

Example embodiments may include receiving a response from the user usingthe unique address. The response may include an instruction. Theinstruction may include a bidding price, a max price, a quantity, and adate and time for bidding on the item selected form the listings of anonline commerce system. The instruction may also include a purchaseorder for purchasing one or more products or services from an entity(e.g., a business entity, such as an online business including an onlinestore, an online mall, etc.) at a predetermined price (e.g., a pricespecified in a catalogue, brochure, webpage, flyer, or quoted in anyother method). The server 130 may execute the instruction by bidding forthe item, purchasing the item, or ordering the service on behalf of theuser 110.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a system200 for pre-authenticated online ordering. The system 200 may include aserver 13( )and a client system 295. The server 130 may include a userinterface module 210, an authentication module 220, a processor 230, acommunication module 240, a parsing module 250, a bidding module 260, anorder module 270, a database 280, and a reporting module 290. The server130 may be linked to the client system 295 via the network 150.

The user interface module 210 may receive a set of user authenticationcredentials sufficient to uniquely identify a registered user of abusiness entity. In example embodiments, the business entity mayinclude, but is not limited to, an online commerce system, an onlinebusiness, or a publication system. The authentication credential mayinclude a username and password or a set of bio-credentials. Theauthentication module 220 may verify the authentication credentialsreceived from the user. The authentication module 220 may usetechnologies well known in the art to perform the verification. Theauthentication module 220 may match the authentication credentialreceived from the registered user with information stored in thedatabase 280.

According to example embodiments, the user interface module 210 mayreceive from the registered user a selection of an item from a list of anumber of items. The user interface module 210 may present the list ofitems via a user interface to the registered user. The items may includelistings in an online commerce system in an auction or Buy It Now (BIN)format, or products or services offered for sale in an online store oronline mall.

Responsive to the receiving of the selection, the processor 230 maygenerate a unique address (e.g. a URL, a widget, etc.). The uniqueaddress, for example, may be associated with a simple user interfacegenerated by the user interface module 210. The communication module 240may communicate the unique address to the registered user. Thecommunication module 240 may communicate the unique address via email,short message service (SMS), voice mail, fax, or any other electronicmessaging system.

The registered user may release the unique address to a third person.For example, the registered user may give the URL to the third person asa gift. The item may be a gift item available from an online store. Thesimple user interface may allow a user 110 (e.g., the registered user orthe third person) to perform a limited set of operations associated withthe item. The operations may include bidding on the item or purchasingthe item. The user 110 may not have to authenticate in every instance ofusing the unique address. In other words, the operations performed bythe user 110 are assumed to be approved by the registered user who hasbeen authenticated before issuance of the URI. Accordingly, an importantbenefit of the technology presented in this application is that thetechnology would allow pre-authenticated ordering of the item for whichthe unique address has been issued.

In example embodiments, the simple user interface may allow the user 110to select one or more options from a list of options provided by thesimplified user interface. The options may include, but are not limitedto, a bid price, a bidding time, a max price, or a purchase price forthe item. The user interface module 210 may receive a response form theuser. The response may include an instruction. The parsing module 250may parse the response to retrieve the instruction from the response.The instruction may be related to bidding in an online commerce systemand include a bidding price, a max price, a quantity, and a date andtime for bidding on the item.

The instruction may, for example, be related to a purchase order forpurchasing one or more products or services from an entity at apredetermined price. The entity may include, but is not limited to, abusiness entity such as an online business, including an online store oran online mall. The predetermined price may be a price specified in acatalogue, brochure, webpage, flyer, or quoted using any other method.

After receiving the instruction, in a case where the instruction isrelated to bidding in an auction, the bidding module 260 may place a bidfor the item in the online commerce system on behalf of the user. Thebidding module 260 may use the instruction related to the bidding,including the bidding price and the quantity, in bidding for the item.The bidding module 260 may also place the bid at the date and timespecified in the instruction. The bidding module 260 may increase thebidding price to a max price determined by the instruction depending oncompeting bid prices.

When the instruction related to a purchase order is received by the userinterface module 210, the order module 270 may execute the instruction.The order module 270 may purchase the product or order the service onbehalf of the user. The order module 270 may make the purchase based onthe quantity indicated in the instruction. The order module 270 maycharge an account associated with the registered user to pay for theproduct or the service.

An example embodiment may include reporting, by the reporting module290, of a result to the user. The result may include a status report onactivities of the bidding module 260 or the order module 270. The statusreport may include information related to the bidding. For example, thestatus report may indicate whether the user was a winner and what thewinning price was. The status report may include information regardingthe purchasing of the product or ordering of the service. For example,the report may show a delivery date and time for the product or theservice and may include a receipt for the purchase of the product or theorder of the service.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating, in an example embodiment,components of the client system 120 shown in FIG. 2. The client system120 may include a transmitter 320, a receiver 340, and a user interface360. The transmitter 320 may transmit a set of user authenticationcredentials sufficient to uniquely identify a registered user to theserver 130. The transmitter 320 may include a modem operable tocommunicate via the network 150. The transmitter 320 may transmit to theserver 130 a selection of an item from a list of a number of items. Theitems may be a product or a service provided by a business entity. Thebusiness entity may include, but not be limited to, an online commercesystem, an online business, or a publication system. The selection maybe made by a registered user of the business entity.

In response to transmitting the selection, the receiver may receive aunique address associated with a simplified user interface. The userinterface 360 may present the unique address to the registered user. Theuser interface 360 may allow a user of said unique address to perform alimited set of operations associated with said item.

According to example embodiments, the user of the unique address may bethe registered user or a third person receiving the unique address fromthe registered user. The operations may include bidding on the item orpurchasing the item. In an example embodiment, the simple user interfacemay allow a user (e.g., the registered user or the third person) toselect one or more options from a list of options provided by thesimplified user interface. The options, for example, may include, butare not limited to, a bid price, a bid time, a max price, or a purchaseprice for the item.

The transmitter 320 may transmit a response from the user to the server130. The response may include an instruction specifying the limited setof operations. The instruction may include a bidding price for the item(e.g., a listing in an online commerce system), a purchase order forpurchasing the item (e.g., a product or a service) from an entity (e.g.,an online business entity) at a predetermined price, a quantity (e.g. aquantity of the item to bid on or to be purchased), etc.

FIG. 4 is a high-level flow diagram illustrating an example method 400for pre-authenticated online ordering using the server of FIG. 1. Themethod starts at operation 410, where the user interface module 210 mayreceive user authentication credentials sufficient to verify aregistered user of an online business entity. At operation 420, the userinterface module 210 may receive from the registered user a selection ofan item from a list of a number of items offered by the business entity.The processor 230 may generate a unique address associated with the itemat operation 430. The unique address may allow a user of the uniqueaddress to perform a limited number of operations with the item. Theuser may be the registered user or a third person who received theunique address from the registered user.

In some example embodiments, the communication module 240 maycommunicate the unique address to the registered user. The registereduser may then release the unique address to the third person. Atoperation 440, the user interface module 210 may receive a response formthe user. The response may include an instruction. The instruction maybe related to bidding in an online commerce system and include a biddingprice, a max price, a quantity, and a date and time for bidding on theitem. The instruction may also be related to a purchase order forpurchasing one or more products or services from an entity at apredetermined price.

FIG. 5 is a high-level flow diagram illustrating an example method 500for pre-authenticated online ordering using the client system shown inFIG. 2. At operation 510, the transmitter 320 may transmit a set of userauthentication credentials sufficient to verify a registered user of abusiness entity to the server 130. The authentication credential mayhave been received from the registered user by the user interface 360.The transmitter 320, at operation 520, may transmit a selection of anitem to the server 130. The item may be selected by the registered userfrom a list of a number of items offered by the business entity.

At operation 530, the receiver 340 may receive from the server 130 aunique address associated with a simplified user interface. The userinterface 360 may display the unique address to the registered user atoperation 540. The user interface 360 may also show the simplified userinterface to the registered user. In an example embodiment, thesimplified user interface may allow a user of the unique address toperform a limited set of operations with the item.

FIG. 6 is high-level block diagram illustrating an example embodiment ofa network-based publication system 600 enabled for pre-authenticatedonline ordering and having a client-server architecture. A publicationplatform, in the example form of a pre-authenticated online orderingserver 602, may provide server-side functionality, via a network 680(e.g., the Internet) to one or more clients. FIG. 6 illustrates, forexample, a Web client 606 (e.g., a browser, such as the INTERNETEXPLORER browser developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.),and a programmatic client 608, executing on respective client machines610 and 612.

Turning specifically to the pre-authenticated online ordering server602, an Application Program Interface (API) server 614 and a Web server616 are coupled to, and provide programmatic and Web interfacesrespectively to, one or more application servers 618. The applicationservers 618 may host one or more publication applications 620 andpre-authenticated ordering applications 622. The application servers 618are, in turn, shown to be coupled to one or more database servers 624that facilitate access to one or more databases 626.

The publication applications 620 may provide a number of publicationfunctions and services to users who access the network-based publicationsystem 600. For example, the publication applications may supportposting and browsing listings (e.g., items, services, etc.) in thenetwork-based publication system 600. The pre-authenticated orderingapplications 622 may facilitate, for a user, online bidding on items oronline ordering of items in a pre-authenticated manner, such that theuser only authenticates once to receive a unique address (e.g., a URL,or a widget) and uses the unique address without further authentication.

Further, while the network-based publication system 600 shown in FIG. 6employs a client-server architecture, the disclosed system is notlimited to such an architecture and could equally well find applicationin a distributed, or peer-to-peer, architecture system. The variouspublication and pre-authenticated ordering applications 620 and 622could also be implemented as stand-alone software programs, which do notnecessarily have networking capabilities.

The Web client 606 may access the publication and pre-authenticatedordering applications 620 and 622 via the Web interface supported by theWeb server 616. Similarly, the programmatic client 608 may access thevarious services and functions provided by the publication andpre-authenticated ordering applications 620 and 622 via the programmaticinterface provided by the API server 614. The programmatic client 608may, for example, be a search application to enable buyers to search forlistings of interest to the buyers in the network-based publicationsystem 600. In another example embodiment, the programmatic client 608may support sellers by facilitating posting of one or more items on thenetwork-based publication system 600.

FIG. 7 is an example set of publication and pre-authentication orderingapplications used by the network-based publication system of FIG. 6. Thepre-authenticated online ordering server 602 may provide a number of thepublication applications 620 and the pre-authenticated orderingapplications 622, whereby a user may post a listing or browse publishedlistings in the network-based publication system 600, and thepre-authenticated online ordering server 602 may supportpre-authenticated online bidding on items or the online ordering ofitems. Various data management applications 710 may provide support forhandling data, including storing and retrieving data related to variouslistings published in the network-based publication system 600. The datamanagement applications 710 may facilitate for the listing data to becategorized according to specific categories based on certain keywords.

A number of listing creation applications 720 may allow sellers of itemsor posters of advertisements to conveniently author listings pertainingto goods or services that they wish to publish via the network-basedpublication system 600. The listing creation applications 720 mayreceive input data provided by the sellers or posters and may have thedata management applications 710 store the data in appropriatecategories. The listing creation applications 720 may also providelisting information for user interface applications 750 to display thelistings to users.

A number of search applications 730 may support searching the databases626 of the network-based publication system 600 for data items, usingsearch criteria received from a user of the network-based publicationsystem 600. Communication applications 740 may facilitate receivingsearch criteria from users of the network-based publication system 600.

One or more user interface applications 750 may support the receiving ofauthentication credentials from registered users of the network-basedpublication system 600. The user interface applications 750 may alsofacilitate receiving from the registered user a selection of an itemfrom a list of items offered by the network-based publication system600. Verification applications 760 may support verification of theauthentication credentials entered by the registered users of thenetwork-based publication system 600.

The communications applications 740 may also support communicating aunique address to the registered user. The unique address may beassociated with a simplified user interface that allows a user of theunique address to perform a limited set of operations.

Parsing applications 770 may facilitate parsing a response received froma user and retrieving one or more instructions from the response. Insome example embodiments, the instructions may include a bidding pricefor the item, a purchase order for purchasing the item from an onlinebusiness entity at a predetermined price, or a quantity of the item tobid on or to be purchased.

Bidding applications 780 may support bidding for the item on behalf ofthe user of the network-based publication system 600. Orderingapplications 790 may assist in ordering the item on behalf of the user,based on the instructions received from the user. One or more reportingapplications 795 may support reporting to the user information relatedto results of the bidding on the item or purchasing of the item onbehalf of the user.

Machine Architecture

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a diagrammatic representation of amachine in the example form of a computer system, within which a set ofinstructions for causing the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies discussed herein may be executed. In alternativeembodiments, the machine 800 may operate as a standalone device or maybe connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networkeddeployment, the machine 800 may operate in the capacity of a server or aclient machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peermachine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.

The machine 800 may be a server computer, a client computer, a personalcomputer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a Web appliance, a networkrouter, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set ofinstructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be takenby that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated,the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection ofmachines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets)of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein.

The example computer system 800 may include a processor 860 (e.g., acentral processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), orboth), a main memory 870 and a static memory 880, all of whichcommunicate with each other via a bus 808. The computer system 800 mayfurther include a video display unit 810 (e.g., a liquid crystal display(LCD) or cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system 800 also mayinclude an alphanumeric input device 820 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursorcontrol device 830 (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 840, a signalgeneration device 850 (e.g., a speaker), and a network interface device890.

The disk drive unit 840 may include a machine-readable medium 822 onwhich is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software 824)embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions describedherein. The software 824 may also reside, completely or at leastpartially, within the main memory 870, the static memory 880, and/orwithin the processor 860 during execution thereof by the computer system800, with the main memory 870 and the processor 860 also constitutingmachine-readable media.

The software 824 may further be transmitted or received over a network680 via the network interface device 890.

While the machine-readable medium 822 is shown in an example embodimentto be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should betaken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralizedor distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) thatstore the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readablemedium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution bythe machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies of the present technology. The term “machine-readablemedium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to,solid-state memories and optical and magnetic media.

User Interfaces

FIG. 9 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface 900 for selecting an item from a list of items in apre-authenticated online ordering system. The user interface 900 mayfacilitate a selection by a registered user of an item 920 from a list910 of items offered by an online business entity (e.g., an onlinecommerce system). For each item, the list 910 includes information suchas a picture, an item title, a bid price, a number of bids, and alisting date. In an example embodiment, the selection of the item may hemade by a mouse click on the picture of the item. Alternatively, theitem may be selected by clicking on any other listed informationassociated with the item.

FIG. 10 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface 1000 for displaying an item number associated with the userinterface of FIG. 9. After the user makes a selection from the list 910of FIG. 9, the user interface module 210 (see FIG. 2) may replace theinformation associated with item 920 in FIG. 9 with new information (see1050) including an item number. The registered user may make note of theitem number or copy the item number into a clipboard.

FIG. 11 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface 1100 for receiving a registered user's authenticationcredentials. The user interface 1100 allows a registered user to sign inby entering authentication credentials, including a username andpassword, associated with the registered user in the spaces provided onwindow 1150. The authentication module 220 (see FIG. 2) may verify theauthentication credentials using the stored information associated withthe identification of the registered user in the database 280.

FIG. 12 is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a userinterface 1200 for receiving a user response including instructions. Theuser may be a registered user of a business entity who has received aunique address (e.g., a URI, or a widget) or a third person who hasreceived the unique address from the registered user. The uniqueaddress, once activated by the user, may cause the user interface module210 to display the user interface 1200.

The user interface 1200 may include a portion 1220, where the user mayenter the item number copied from the user interface 1000 (e.g., theitem number for the item that the user intends to snipe), a maximum bid,a quantity of the item desired, and a lead time indicating the number ofseconds before the item end time that the user may want a bid placed forthe item. The user may also specify a folder into which the enteredinformation associated with the sniped item may be saved. A drop downbox 1240 allows the user to select a folder to review and updateinformation associated with a sniped item. From the drop down box 1250,a user may select a folder from which to move or cancel items. Theinformation associated with the item selected for review may be shown inbox 1280.

Thus, a method and a system for pre-authenticated online ordering havebeen described. Although the present subject matter has been describedwith reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident thatvarious modifications and changes may be made to these embodimentswithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of the subjectmatter. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regardedin an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader toquickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in theforegoing Detailed Description, it may be seen that various features aregrouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claimsare hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate embodiment.

1. (canceled)
 2. A system comprising: memory; and one or more processorscoupled to the memory to: receive a set of user authenticationcredentials from a first user device, the set of user authenticationcredentials sufficient to uniquely identify a user of the user device asbeing registered with a network-based publication system; generate afirst user interface, the first user interface providing a first set ofavailable functions; cause the first user interface to be displayed onthe first user device; generate a unique address associated with asecond user interface corresponding to the first user interface, thesecond user interface providing a second set of available functions, thesecond set of available functions being different than the first set ofavailable functions and being a subset of the first set of availablefunctions; and send the unique address to the first user device in amanner that allows the user of the user device to disseminate the uniqueaddress to an unregistered user.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein theunique address is sent via an email.
 4. The system of claim 2, whereinthe unique address is sent via a text message.
 5. The system of claim 2,wherein the second set of available functions includes an instruction tobid on the selected item via the accessed user interface.
 6. The systemof claim 5, wherein the instruction to bid includes at least one of abid price, a max price, a purchase price, or a bid time.
 7. The systemof claim 2, wherein the second set of available functions includes aninstruction to purchase the selected item at a predetermined price viathe accessed user interface.
 8. The system of claim 2, wherein theunique address is a Unique Resource Locator (URL).
 9. A methodcomprising: receiving a set of user authentication credentials from afirst user device, the set of user authentication credentials sufficientto uniquely identify a user of the user device as being registered witha network-based publication system; generating a first user interface,the first user interface providing a first set of available functions;causing the first user interface to be displayed on the first userdevice; generating a unique address associated with a second userinterface corresponding to the first user interface, the second userinterface providing a second set of available functions, the second setof available functions being different than the first set of availablefunctions and being a subset of the first set of available functions;and sending the unique address to the first user device in a manner thatallows the user of the user device to disseminate the unique address toan unregistered user.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the uniqueaddress is sent via an email.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein theunique address is sent via a text message.
 12. The method of claim 9,wherein the second set of available functions includes an instruction tobid on the selected item via the accessed user interface.
 13. The methodof claim 12, wherein the instruction to bid includes at least one of abid price, a max price, a purchase price, or a bid time.
 14. The methodof claim 9, wherein the second set of available functions includes aninstruction to purchase the selected item at a predetermined price viathe accessed user interface.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein theunique address is a Unique Resource Locator (URL).
 16. A non-transitorymachine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by oneor more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operationscomprising: receiving a set of user authentication credentials from afirst user device, the set of user authentication credentials sufficientto uniquely identify a user of the user device as being registered witha network-based publication system; generating a first user interface,the first user interface providing a first set of available functions;causing the first user interface to be displayed on the first userdevice; generating a unique address associated with a second userinterface corresponding to the first user interface, the second userinterface providing a second set of available functions, the second setof available functions being different than the first set of availablefunctions and being a subset of the first set of available functions;and sending the unique address to the first user device in a manner thatallows the user of the user device to disseminate the unique address toan unregistered user.
 17. The non-transitory machine readable medium ofclaim 16, wherein the unique address is sent via an email.
 18. Thenon-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the uniqueaddress is sent via a text message.
 19. The non-transitory machinereadable medium of claim 16, wherein the second set of availablefunctions includes an instruction to bid on the selected item via theaccessed user interface.
 20. The non-transitory machine readable mediumof claim 19, wherein the instruction to bid includes at least one of abid price, a max price, a purchase price, or a bid time.
 21. Thenon-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the secondset of available functions includes an instruction to purchase theselected item at a predetermined price via the accessed user interface.